visit to liver surgeon

maglets
maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
well yesterday we went to see the big chief cheese liver guy. He is a very very nice guy but he always has residents who come into the room first, examine you and then report to the chief. Well yesterday my youngster was a complete pill...sort of devil may care, I don't know the answer....I usually really like these kids but this one was a regualr smarty-pants.

I thought he was going to put me on yearly visits....but he said because I have had 2 re-occurences to the liver both within two years of another ....he will keep me on 6 month scans and 3 months CEA`s here at home in between.

I asked why I had not had my lungs scanned and he said after the colon cancer has gone to the liver twice .....then the liver is the most likely place for it to reappear again.

anybody thoughts or experience with this

maggie

Comments

  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Good news!
    Other than "smarty pants" it sounds like good news. My onc often has residents too. My husband asked her to give me a break from them for awhile, because I often was so upset - everyone wanted me to go over my ENTIRE history starting with the first symptom. I know they have to learn, but I found it painful to relive my expereince; I was misdiagnosed for awhile + went through a lot before I was diagnosed. At my last visit, a resident came to see me first, but she didn't go through my entire history. The break did me a lot of good. I found this time, it was a very positive experience + the resident went + rechecked a few things I questionned.

    Mags, I am not sure what to say about no lung scan. I have my abdomen + lungs scanned everytime.

    Take good care!
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    AnneCan said:

    Good news!
    Other than "smarty pants" it sounds like good news. My onc often has residents too. My husband asked her to give me a break from them for awhile, because I often was so upset - everyone wanted me to go over my ENTIRE history starting with the first symptom. I know they have to learn, but I found it painful to relive my expereince; I was misdiagnosed for awhile + went through a lot before I was diagnosed. At my last visit, a resident came to see me first, but she didn't go through my entire history. The break did me a lot of good. I found this time, it was a very positive experience + the resident went + rechecked a few things I questionned.

    Mags, I am not sure what to say about no lung scan. I have my abdomen + lungs scanned everytime.

    Take good care!

    ..Talk about "smarty pants"
    A month or two after my colostomy a "doctor " in training in my onc's office was checking me out prior to onc. Don't know what his problem was but when onc came in and asked him pertaining to me" Well, what do you think" **** replied, as he's looking at my file, "I see he needs another operation." I %^$#&*##* flipped out, almost fell to the ground as no one had ever told me that, my heart almost jumping out of my chest, girlfriend about to cry when he goes: "Oops, I misread that". Don;t know what the look on my face was but onc immediately told him to leave the room.I never saw him again.

    I would have lungs checked as well as liver since we all know they are both organs prone to mets.......steve
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    My scans are
    My scans are all skull base to thighs. Every CT and PET, except when they were just dealing with chest pain - like for my PE.

    If they are already doing the scans it doesn't make sense to not check the lungs while they are at it. I would INSIST that the scan be skull base to thighs to catch any spread possible. Cancer follows NO RULES. It does what it wants to. Just because two recurrances were liver, that doesn't mean another recurrance wouldn't be a lymph node in your upper abdomen, or in your lungs. Be your own advocate here. It is important!
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member

    My scans are
    My scans are all skull base to thighs. Every CT and PET, except when they were just dealing with chest pain - like for my PE.

    If they are already doing the scans it doesn't make sense to not check the lungs while they are at it. I would INSIST that the scan be skull base to thighs to catch any spread possible. Cancer follows NO RULES. It does what it wants to. Just because two recurrances were liver, that doesn't mean another recurrance wouldn't be a lymph node in your upper abdomen, or in your lungs. Be your own advocate here. It is important!

    Mags,
    I did just find that the rectal cancers most often re occur in the lungs where colon cancer most times is found in re occurence to the liver ...Although I also get a skull base to thigh scan I would think that the radiation exposure may be a consideration in their reasoning for not scanning lungs. I think that would be a call for you to make or ask for...Love to you, Clift
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member

    My scans are
    My scans are all skull base to thighs. Every CT and PET, except when they were just dealing with chest pain - like for my PE.

    If they are already doing the scans it doesn't make sense to not check the lungs while they are at it. I would INSIST that the scan be skull base to thighs to catch any spread possible. Cancer follows NO RULES. It does what it wants to. Just because two recurrances were liver, that doesn't mean another recurrance wouldn't be a lymph node in your upper abdomen, or in your lungs. Be your own advocate here. It is important!

    why I like this forum
    I like this forum because you are all so smart!!! lol thank you for those responses.

    anne I am so sorry you have been upset by the questionning...I understand. i think asking to take a break from that was a smart move....same with you Steve...too bad. when i asked the resident for the results of the scan he said in a smarty pants voice he would let the doctor tell me. i honestly don`t think he had read the results.

    anyway....I will definitely ask for lung next scan....thank you

    maggie
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Visits
    If he put you on 6 month scans and 3 month blood, what had you been doing. Just thought that was pretty standard for the treatment industry but I'm sure every doctor is different. Know two people that both had rectal cancer and neither one had mop up chemo and one doesn't even go back to the oncologist or surgeon and she had her operation the same day as me. Who knows, just think they are all different.

    Kim
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member

    Visits
    If he put you on 6 month scans and 3 month blood, what had you been doing. Just thought that was pretty standard for the treatment industry but I'm sure every doctor is different. Know two people that both had rectal cancer and neither one had mop up chemo and one doesn't even go back to the oncologist or surgeon and she had her operation the same day as me. Who knows, just think they are all different.

    Kim

    Hi Kim....
    I have been on this every 3 month routine but this is for the surgeon.....my onc is local but the surgeon is 3 hours....really he doesn`t do anything because the local radiologist reads the scan before I go....

    you are right....things seem to vary
  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    liver scans
    My husband gets scanned every three months....and they always do "eyes to thighs" since it is common for cc mets to show up in the lungs too. So far they haven't, thank God. Don't think we could handle that too. But a friend who has IV cc had mets to lungs after they showed up in liver. I think I would push for an eyes to thighs scan so you are not left wondering.

    Husbands onc has the residents come in with him, never by themselves and they just observe. I would freak if anyone other than Dr Lasker came in to do the visit.
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    mukamom said:

    liver scans
    My husband gets scanned every three months....and they always do "eyes to thighs" since it is common for cc mets to show up in the lungs too. So far they haven't, thank God. Don't think we could handle that too. But a friend who has IV cc had mets to lungs after they showed up in liver. I think I would push for an eyes to thighs scan so you are not left wondering.

    Husbands onc has the residents come in with him, never by themselves and they just observe. I would freak if anyone other than Dr Lasker came in to do the visit.

    I also had a weird moment today
    The lady that does my scans told me she was contemplating what she should scan or focus on. I told her everything, check every thing. She replied that she had scanned the liver last time. Ahhh, I don't get it. I am there to check for a recurrence and to see if it has gone to my lungs. I am going to talk to my ONC on Wednesday when I in go in for my results. She did scan all.
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Good
    Hey, Maggie.

    I see from a later post from you that you've decided to ask for a lung scan. I think that's a good idea, just to be sure. I think we've all heard way too many stories about things that are supposed to be okay, but turn out to be troublesome.

    Praying you're ALL CLEAR!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    CT Scan
    They scan me from toes to eyes. I like it that way.
    Winter Marie
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    HHHMMMMMM
    I would love for them to check my liver and lungs,,,,,,It may save some serious wear and tare(whoops almost spelt that tear)on other parts of my anatomy......Ron.
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member

    CT Scan
    They scan me from toes to eyes. I like it that way.
    Winter Marie

    chest abdomen and pelvis when my scans where Ned !
    Now on reoccurrence full body scan every two months and pet every 4 , courtesy of Spanish social security!
  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    My Onc
    has always requested scans of my chest, stomach and pelvic area. (DX Stage II / 2006)
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Colorectal Cancer Just Loves the Lungs...
    ...and I think it's a good idea to still have them scanned regularly - no need for any extra drama down the road, and you'll walk away feeling that you have a good sense of knowing what's going on there.

    Chest-Abdomen-Pelvis is always the way I go - I already glow in the dark, so some extra insurance makes me feel better:)

    See you, Mags!

    -Craig
  • HollyID
    HollyID Member Posts: 946 Member
    I have to echo the majority here...
    Eyes to thighs is the only way to go. :) This is what my onc does.

    Love and Hugs always...

    Holly
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    scans
    I'm always scanned from the neck to the thighs as well.
    mary